“Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.”

These words convey such a powerful message.

A message that encapsulates the determination, strength and vitality of the many First Nations cultures across our vast land.

Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud.

For a week of celebration, of culture.

Of pride in being part of 65,000 years of living on, and understanding and caring, for Country.

A week of symbolism, of connection. Of so many achievements. In the arts, sport, in communities. Of so many stories of resistance and of resilience.

This week — beginning on the first Sunday in July and finishing on the second Sunday — is an important event on the Australian calendar.

It’s NAIDOC Week — a week that first began in 1975, but whose roots go back further to the Aboriginal protests of the 1930s.

A time when leaders such as William Cooper, Doug Nicholls and Jack Patten were calling for justice and equal rights for their people.

A time when the importance of a day of protest — but also celebration — led to what was called National Aborigines Day being moved to July.

In 1975, it was decided to celebrate for a week.

NAIDOC — the word coming from the title of the group organising this original day — National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee — has now become the title for the week-long celebrations.

National NAIDOC Co-Chair, Aunty Dr Lynette Riley, when reflecting on what the week meant to her, said, “It means for me to maintain what our Elders started.”

“The resilience of mob, our shared experiences, collective memories and kinship is a source of tremendous pride,” Aunty Lynette continued.

So this year, 86 years after the day of protest in 1938, there is recognition of the legacy of those leaders and Elders who have gone before in the words, “Keep the Fire Burning.”

It’s a recognition of the enduring strength and diversity of First Nations cultures and the determination to allow them to flourish despite all that has been thrown at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across the nation since colonisation.

The reference to fire in the theme has been described as symbolising a connection to Country, to each other and to the intricate mosaic of traditions that have defined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for millennia.

It’s about keeping the spirit, the Culture and the voices of First Nations peoples alive and strong.

Acknowledging the richness, the complexity, the deep understanding of the land of First Nations peoples — aspects we can all learn from.

And engaging with the oldest continuing culture on the planet.

“It’s an opportunity to educate the wider community about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and to celebrate our heritage and culture in public forums,” Aunty Lynette went on to say.

This was reinforced in the words of Steven Satour, the other NAIDOC Co-Chair. ‘Blak, Loud and Proud’ encapsulates the unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity, empowering us to stand tall in our heritage and assert our place in the modern world.”

“This theme calls for a reclamation of our narratives, an amplification of our voices and an unwavering commitment to justice and equality.”

The threads of protest are still an important part of the week.

In the aftermath of the Voice referendum, there is also opportunity for a coming together, as described by Aunty Lynette. “This year is a clarion call to continued unity and solidarity for all Australians to come together and celebrate.”

“We honour the flame of the fire, kindling the sparks of pride and unity, igniting a renewed commitment to acknowledging, preserving and sharing the cultural heritage that enriches our nation.”

By engaging in the many, varied activities over the week, it is a way to learn, to deepen understanding and just to have a great time.

What can you do?

Visit your local library and borrow a book by one of the many excellent First Nations authors, or watch a television show or movie by a First Nations filmmaker.

Don’t miss Kaiela Arts’ new exhibition celebrating this year’s NAIDOC Week theme, opening on Tuesday, July 9. The theme will honour Ancestors and Country and proudly display the vitality and resilience of First Nations cultures in contemporary forms.

Go for a walk to The Flats between Shepparton and Mooroopna and read the many stories of life on the river.

Find out about the Cummeragunja Walk-off and how it is such an important part of the local Aboriginal community’s history.

If you’re in Melbourne, download the free Yalinguth app on to your phone and go for a stroll along Gerturde St in Fitzroy or along the Yarra from Federation Square to the MCG, listening to the many First Nations storytellers as you walk.

Find out whose Country you are on, go to https://aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia or if you would like your own copy, they can be purchased from Kaiela Arts on the ground floor of the Shepparton Art Museum building on Wyndham St.

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